Latest Area News Headlines

WORTHINGTON – The E.O. Olson Trust Board of Directors has designated funds toward water quality of Lake Okabena, putting aside $9,000 toward making a positive impact on the lake.

A third of the money will be spent on purchasing floating islands for Sunset Bay. The islands are made from recycled materials and serve as a base for grasses, sedges and flowers that feed off of nutrients in the water. In turn, fish feed off the underwater roots of the plants.

The additional funds will be used to build floating islands of their own, purchase additional Bioverse AquaSpheres as part...

UPDATE:
WORTHINGTON – The Minnesota Supreme Court has reversed the Josue Fraga conviction and remanded the case back to Nobles County District Court for a new trial based on juror bias, according to documents released today.

In March of 2008, 2-year-old Samantha Fraga was brought to the emergency room of the Worthington Hospital by her aunt and uncle, that uncle being Josue Fraga. The child had a body core temperature of 84 degrees, and the autopsy later showed she had been dead for several hours by the time she was brought in. The toddler had traumatic head injuries, a...

WORTHINGTON – Water restrictions have taken a next step in the city of Worthington following this week’s meeting of the Water and Light Board. Residents were already prohibited from watering between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., but the commission has now banned the use of water within the city of Worthington for unattended irrigation of lawns and gardens. This includes the use of automatic systems and hose sprinklers that deliver water without a constant physical presence.

Worthington Public Utilities Manager Scott Hain said this is only stage one in a three stage water use...

WORTHINGTON - If you didn't get a chance to listen to today's Talk of the Town on AM 730 KWOA with Florian and Patty Chmielewski, here's your chance!

Click on the link below to learn about their upcoming festival in Hinckley, how Patty made her big debut at age 9 on the Lawrence Welk show, what Florian thinks of legislators these days after spending 26 years as a Minnesota Senator and how Justine met up with this accordion-playing, polka-performing, music-loving bunch in the first place! (Hint: It actually was an accident of fate that happened a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far...

DES MOINES, Iowa – The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza (HPAI) at a commercial laying facility in Osceola County, Iowa. The farm near Harris holds nearly 10 percent of Iowa's egg-laying chickens at 5.3 million hens.

Iowa is home to roughly 59 million hens that lay nearly one in every five eggs consumed in the country. It's the first chicken farm in Iowa to be affected by the virus, which was confirmed at a turkey farm in the state last week. The...

WORTHINGTON - The 2015 Spring Fling for Seniors is 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday at Worthington’s American Reformed Church. This year’s theme is “Healthy Living at Home,” and includes keynote speaker Dr. Charles Dike, a family medicine practitioner at the Sanford Worthington Clinic, who will talk about the aging process and how to stay as healthy as possible.

Three workshop presenters include Molly Bishop of Navigation Music Therapy Services, Pharmacist Joe Anderson of Sterling Drug and Nobles County Public Health Director Terri Janssen. Also, 20 area agencies and businesses will be...

WORTHINGTON – The Worthington Regional Health Care Foundation teamed up with the Manna Food Pantry during the March Food Campaign, offering a 50 percent match for up to $25,000.The Manna Food Pantry, through contributions from individuals, area churches and the community, raised over $43,000, the health care foundation matched $21,609 and the total came to $64,828.14. The check for the total was presented to the pantry on Friday.

Foundation Executive Director Jeff Rotert said this is the second year they have offered the grant to the Manna Food Pantry.

WORTHINGTON — The American Red Cross Bloodmobile will accept blood donations from 1 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the American Reformed Church, 1720 N. Burlington Ave.

Donors will receive a coupon for a free pint of ice cream from Dairy Queen; and a coupon for rent one/get one video from Family Video, Worthington. Chocolate sundaes will be served compliments of Scott Rall LPL Financial Services, Worthington. To schedule an appointment, visit www.redcrossblood.org (enter sponsor code 0172267) or call 1-800-733-2767....

Sirens will sound in Nobles County and across Minnesota today as cities and counties participate in a simulated tornado warning.

Tornado watches and warnings will be issued Thursday afternoon to test communities' warning and communications systems. Most cities and counties will activate their sirens at 1:45 p.m., and an "end of test" message will be issued by the National Weather Service at 2 p.m.

Another simulated tornado warning will be issued in Minnesota at 6:55 p.m. in an effort to help families test their preparedness at home, as well as for second-shift workers....

WORTHINGTON — Worthington Boy Scout Pack 134 will have a recruitment night from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday at Chautauqua Park. All boys interested in scouting are welcome to attend. For more information, contact Scott Carlson, 329-5204.

PIPESTONE - Pipestone National Monument has scheduled a prescribed burn during the period of April 27 – May 22. When appropriate wind, temperature, and humidity conditions exist between these dates, approximately 92 acres of the tall grass prairie will be burned.

Historically, the 18 million acres of native tall grass prairie that once covered...